Night commutes bring out the animal

I truly welcome the passing of daylight savings, for a legitimate reason to turn my back of cosy familial bliss after dark, and maraud through the bush, suburbs and city, on my way home from work. The 29er pictured, with Continental "urban contact" slick tires and the big front light, is just the equipment. Last night I came home after 10pm, with a few beers inside of me, through bushland, down dark cycleways, through a nice sampling of poor suburbs with delinquents and rif-raf lurking about, then through the party-set out on the trot in the city.

I would love to hear from anyone who has tried this with GPS and heart-rate data up on the handlebars while barking down a hands-free mobile phone. While doing something similar last Winter, I hit a rut at high speed and for a moment found myself steering with my wrists, and my nose almost brushing a tire.

In other respects night riding is safer, because there are far fewer cars on the road. Plus you enter an atemporal dream state, alone in your thoughts. I dream I’m Big Dog, having kissed miss Kim then promptly climbed out my window.